Web Exclusive Reviews: 9/28/2009

-- Publishers Weekly, 9/28/2009

NONFICTION

Don’t Shoot, We’re Republicans: The True Story of the FBI Agent Who Did Things His Way
Jack Owens. Chronology/History, $16.95 paper (278p) ISBN 9781933909677
Writer and former FBI special agent Owens recounts 30 years as a G-man in this funny, thought-provoking memoir. Fresh out of law school, Owens signed on with J. Edgar Hoover's all-white, all-male bureau in 1969. Presenting his work as a series of telling anecdotes, Owens often finds the comedy in his job (the standard punchline involves surprisingly easy-to-find fugitives) as well as the thrills, such as a stint with the FBI SWAT team, putting down a 1987 Atlanta prison riot started in part by Cuban inmates formerly held in Castro’s prisons (a '94 riot followed in Alabama). Along with the tedium, ironies and tragedies of his decades in the field, Owens also details his work on one of the most shocking cases in U.S. criminal history, the Atlanta child murders in the early '80s. With a vet's cogent perspective, Owens produces a compelling and well-rounded retrospective of a life in criminal enforcement. (Aug.)

Down to the Wire: Confronting Climate Collapse
David W. Orr. Oxford Univ., $19.95 (288p) ISBN 9780195393538
Author and environmental studies professor Orr (The Nature of Design) presents an alarming look at climate change, predicting a best-case scenario (a sharp reduction in our carbon footprint) that belies the hopes of the green movement at large: “Climate change… is not so much a problem to be fixed, but rather a steadily worsening condition with which we must contend for a long time.” Even this, however, depends on a political realignment sufficient to meet the severe challenges of the coming decades and centuries, including famine, drought and population displacement. Rather than a matter of reprioritizing, Orr contends that we must reshape our deepest held values; citing the case against abortion, he suggests that “the same kind of arguments apply to the right to life of future generations... [as] our present use of coal, oil, and natural gas will kill into the far future." Finding hope in "the connections that bind us to each other, to all life and to all life to come," Orr maintains a guarded optimism that never forgoes the possibility that “we are irreversibly en route to extinction”; for his expertise and crystal clear vision, Orr's disturbing message is hard to ignore. (Sept.)

Friends Like These: My Worldwide Quest to Find My Best Childhood Friends, Knock on Their Doors, and Ask Them to Come Out and Play
Danny Wallace. Little Brown, $24.99 (416p) ISBN 9780316042772
In his latest, British humorist and TV personality Wallace (Yes Man) takes readers along on his quarter-life crisis quest to reconnect with childhood friends. Just months from his 30th birthday, Wallace found that “the evidence of impending adulthood” was all around him: he and his wife were eating healthy food, patronizing trendy bars rather than the neighborhood pub, and renovating their London home. When his parents send him a box of childhood mementos, Wallace gets the idea to locate as many childhood friends as he can before his next birthday. Traveling across the United Kingdom, out to Japan and elsewhere (even entertaining a trip to Fiji for one former school buddy), Wallace rediscovers shared memories, creates new tales and fulfills old dreams (including seeing a live Michael Jackson concert). By juxtaposing verbal snapshots of his childhood with his adult life and those of his friends, Wallace presents an entertaining (if somewhat shallow) look at the lives of a reluctantly maturing generation; fans of Gen-X and Gen-Y culture writers like Chuck Klosterman should find their overseas counterparts eminently relatable. (Sept.)

Green Intelligence: Creating Environments that Protect Human Health
John Wargo. Yale Univ., $32.50 (400p) ISBN 9780300110371
On the morning of April 8, 1951, a group of American dignitaries visiting Runit Island in the South Pacific watched as a blinding white light filled the sky, followed by a yellow and red fireball that vaporized millions of tons of water, mud, plant and animal life into radioactive mist and debris. Within 15 seconds, the conflagration was over, but the damage the nuclear experiment unleashed on the Marshall Islands would last generations. It is from this dramatic focal point that Wargo, a Yale University professor, paints his distressing landscape of modern ecology, further coloring it with the histories of three other pernicious practices that have changed the chemistry of the planet and our bodies: the use of modern-day pesticides, the consumption of vehicle emissions and the widespread adoption of plastics. Wargo reveals how information about synthetic substances has been distorted and kept secret preventing people from taking action to reduce threats to their health. Though Wargo sometimes skirts a general sentiment of helplessness in the face of industrial and governmental actions, he punctuates the book with ways in which people can take back long-violated environments and reclaim their ecological well-being. (Sept.)

Josie’s Story: A Mother’s Inspiring Crusade to Make Medical Care Safe
Sorrel King. Atlantic Monthly, $24 (272p) ISBN 9780802119209
In 2001, the six-member King family had just relocated to a new home in Baltimore when tragedy struck: 17-month-old Josie, wandering unsupervised, turned on a hot water tap and was badly scalded. Rushed to Johns Hopkins hospital, Josie spent 17 days in recovery and was scheduled to be released, but sudden cardiac arrest killed her before she made it out. The hospital admitted their mistake: improper hydration and a mistakenly administered dose of prescription painkiller methadone. Even more shocking, the Kings learned that theirs was not a unique tragedy; in the U.S., somewhere between 44,000 and 98,000 people die every year from medical errors. Using their $1.5 million settlement, the Kings founded an advocacy group, the Josie King Foundation, which, in partnership Johns Hopkins, spearheads a national drive for patient safety programs. This painful but inspiring memoir is a compelling drama of family grief amid the dysfunctional U.S. health care system, buttressed by a 20-page resource guide for patients, families and health-care providers. (Sept.)

 K2: Life and Death on the World’s Most Dangerous Mountain
Ed Viesturs with David Roberts. Broadway, $26 (352p) ISBN 9780767932509
Facing the world’s second-highest peak, the Karakoram Range’s K2 in Northern Pakistan, mountain climbers encounter incredible dangers, including a huge serac (an overhanging glacier), snow-obscured crevasses, whiteouts and avalanches that have killed even accomplished mountaineers. With clarity and compassion, renowned peak-scaler Viesturs recounts campaigns up K2’s 28,000-plus feet from the late 1930s through the tragic 2008 season that saw 11 climbers die in the space of 36 hours. An American master of the climb, Viesturs shares secrets, inside jokes, history and lore such as the “psychological protection” afforded by clipping onto rope or handrails, the climbers’ habit of “looking up to see if anything’s coming your way,” and the “miracle” of “one man with a single ax and a grip of steel stopping the otherwise fatal fall of six teammates and of himself.” Admitting to “a disturbing fanaticism” that’s driven himself and others to tackle the world’s fourteen 8000-foot-plus peaks, Viesturs’s you-are-there narration communicates effortlessly the enormous effort, and high adventure, of scaling K2. (Oct.)

The Real Wizard of Oz: The Life and Times of L. Frank Baum
Rebecca Loncraine. Gotham, $28 (416p) ISBN 9781592404490
In this literary biography of a too-often overlooked pioneer of 20th century children’s fiction, first-time author Loncraine examines the life and prolific career of Oz series creator L. Frank Baum. Divided into five sections, corresponding to the five U.S. regions in which he lived, U.K. journalist Loncraine seeks to enshrine Baum as America’s Grimm Brother, as devoted to his native land as he is to his fantasy world. The most interesting sections cover his childhood in the Finger Lakes region of New York and his life as a storekeeper and newspaper publisher in the Great Plains. Loncraine’s rich material includes the ideas and folktales populating each region—ghosts and mysticism, poverty and desire, and others—but, unfortunately, her determination to give equal attention to each area of Baum’s life short-changes Baum’s interpersonal relationships, as well as the ties between his life and his work. Too often, Loncraine notes these connections but fails to dig into them, including what may have been the most fascinating part of Baum’s tale, his decades-long marriage to a suffragist who was in every way his equal. Though this biography should intrigue Oz fans, it’s hardly the final word. (Aug.)

The Rising Sea
Orin H. Pilkey and Rob Young. Island, $25.95 (194p) ISBN 9781597261913
Veteran academics Pilkey (The Corps and the Shore) and Young (a geoscientist and Pilkey’s former student) team up to offer a rational approach to inevitably rising sea levels over the next century, an unprecedented problem for human civilization: for the first time a densely developed shoreline [is] putting the ways of life of millions of people at risk.” Even with a significant reduction in carbon emissions, sea levels will continue to rise and, combined with increasingly severe storms, force a retreat from the shoreline. Thus, the authors make a strong case for an immediate halt to high-rise construction “in areas vulnerable to future sea level rise” coupled with the relocation of buildings and infrastructure, to be executed “when major maintenance is needed.” Simultaneously, steps should be taken to protect coastal marshes, mangroves and especially coral reefs (“the most biologically diverse environments in the modern ocean”). Pilkey and Young make short work of costly plans like sea walls and artificial beaches, with provide no long-term protection. Pilkey and Young’s balanced, optimistic perspective on the tough decisions that lie ahead should garner interest from policy makers and real estate developers as well as environmentalists. (Sept.)

Runaway Dream: Born to Run and Bruce Springsteen’s American Vision
Louis P. Masur. Bloomsbury, $23 (256p) ISBN 9781596916920
Nearly 35 years on, Bruce Springsteen’s album Born to Run shows little sign of flagging popularity; National Public Radio has hailed the 1975 album, a poetic explosion of frustration and freedom, among the 100 most important musical works of the 20th century, and it has made it into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry. Though he admits that he wants the album played at his funeral, author and American studies professor Masur (The Soiling of Old Glory) remains surprisingly objective while examining the iconic album and its effect on the New Jersey troubadour and American culture at large. Only one chapter is dedicated to the actual making of Born to Run; the rest details Springsteen’s career before and after its release, critical reaction, and the album’s long-smoldering influence. Although Springsteen was not interviewed, E Street Band bassist Garry Tallent provides insight into recording sessions, and Masur quotes extensively from published sources and Springsteen’s own in-concert patter. Masur’s knowledge runs deep, and his work often reads like a lengthy dissertation on the Boss’s lyrics, key progressions, imagery and themes; Bruce’s many hard-core fans will find this an immersive, thoughtful treat. (Sept.)

Seven Days of Rage: The Deadly Crime Spree of the Craigslist Killer
Paul LaRosa and Maria Cramer. Pocket, $21.99 (224p) ISBN 9781439172391
Philip Markoff, an average 22-year-old med student with a devoted fiancé, stands accused of robbing a woman at gunpoint in a Boston hotel room on April 9, 2009, and killing another woman less than a week later. In this compelling, suspenseful narrative, author and TV producer LaRosa (Tacoma Confidential) and Boston Globe crime reporter Cramer lay out the chain of events surrounding the so-called Craiglist Killer and his victims--29-year-old Trisha Leffler (vulnerable, agreeable, quick to laugh) and 25-year-old Julissa Brisman (happy to flaunt her come-hither looks)--both of whom Markoff found on the internet classified ads site Craigslist. Among the sordid details, forensics and digital crime-fighting techniques combine to give police the evidence they need, and its emergence proves a particularly interesting aspect of the case. To their credit, LaRosa and Cramer don't let Craigslist off easy; critics blame the site for failing to monitor effectively its adult and erotic advertisements. Because Markoff remains in jail awaiting trial, readers will be left wondering over Markoff's true motives and ultimate fate. (Sept.)

We Are Doomed: Reclaiming Conservative Pessimism
John Derbyshire. Crown, $26 (272p) ISBN 9780307409584
Derbyshire, a columnist and contributing editor for The National Review, confronts the “mendacity of hope” in this irreverent—sometimes—inflammatory screed. Appealing exclusively to American conservatives, Derbyshire impresses upon his audience the necessity of maintaining a pessimistic view of human nature; happy talk, he says, is for children, fools and leftists. Derbyshire, a Brit by birth, identifies himself as a “metrocon,” a conservative city dweller, and his views embrace traditional American right wing beliefs (big government is bad; immigration is a threat) with a few notable aberrations (he’s not religious) and a few universally off-putting stances (he’s against female suffrage and approvingly quotes Hermann Goring on culture). Those who enjoy Derbyshire’s work in The National Review will enjoy this harvest of provocations delivered with a witty, light touch, however heavy their implications. (Sept.)

LIFESTYLE

Eat Cuban
Andy Rose and Judy Bastyra. Simon & Schuster, $26.95 (162p) ISBN 9781847372901
Marred by poor design and an overreaching need to impress, this attempt from Floridita executive chef Rose to spread the gospel of Cuban cuisine falls short. Though his reverence for the island’s culture and food is laudable, impractical, epic appetizers like Ropa Vieja of Duck Confit and Jalapeno Creme Fraiche; and Diver-Caught Scallops, Smoked Eel and Spanish Pancetta with a Puree of Celeriac and Apple and Grain Mustard Salsaare are better consumed at Rose’s restaurant than attempted at home. The same goes for show-stopping mains like Roast Suckling Pig and Braised Rabbit Cannelloni, Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage. Better choices can be found among standards like Caesar Salad, Beef Carpaccio and Paella, as well as comfort foods like Roast Chicken with Sour Orange Mojo, black beans and rice (Moros y Cristanos) and Cuban Burgers, made with ground beef, pork and chorizo. Determined readers will have to contend with a murky design scheme meant to look well-weathered, but brief interludes on Cuba’s past and present prove informative and entertaining. Though it contains a few keepers, anyone new to the cuisine will find this volume frustrating. (Oct.)

I Can Make You Sleep: Overcome Insomnia Forever and Get the Best Rest of Your Life
Paul McKenna. Sterling, $22.95 (192p) ISBN 9781402765742
Self-help author McKenna (I Can Make You Thin) presents a number of easy-to-follow suggestions for insomniacs in this handy guide to getting a better night’s sleep. While some advice is fairly self-evident (no caffeine after 2 p.m., decreasing alcohol consumption), ideas on topics like pre-sleep anxiety will surprise many chronic bed-tossers who don't realize the extent to which the sleepless cycle is self-perpetuating. Though heavy on self-help jargon, McKenna's sound ideas are clear, easy to read, and don't get bogged down in unnecessary explanation, though he does helpfully explore some of insomnia's root causes. A bundled CD also offers assistance with self-hypnosis and deeper sleep. (Sept.)

FICTION

Ciao Bella
Gina Buonaguro and Janice Kirk. St. Martin’s/Dunne, $24.99 (256p) ISBN 9780312379926
In the follow-up to their duo debut, The Sidewalk Artist, Buonaguro and Kirk follow Graziella Nevicato, a small-town Venetian woman who has all but given up hope that her husband Ugo will return from WWII. Though death in battle is a great honor—even for the four sisters he leaves behind, forced to plan his funeral after a seven-month absence—his wife, born Grace Forrest in Toronto, feels marooned among people who have never fully accepted her. That’s when Frank, an American with a broken-down motorcycle, appears at her gates. Frank, unlike Grace, is quickly adopted by the town—Grace’s father-in-law even mistakes him for his own son—and gives Grace a reason to hope for love and a normal life again. As both a grieving widow and a fish out of water, Grace is an affecting character with well-articulated values; unfortunately, Frank proves little more than a cipher, rendering a late-breaking plot twist inert. (Oct.)

Love You to Death
Shannon K. Butcher. Forever, $6.99 (400p) ISBN 9780446510295
Fans of romantic suspense are used to glossing over gruesomeness in a fast-paced story, but this macabre effort from Butcher (No Escape) offers only a tired plot and characters to balance the revolting details of serial killer Gary Maitland’s escapades. Reporter Elise McBride, worried because she has not heard from her irresponsible sister, Ashley, breaks into Ashley’s house for clues and is inevitably discovered by Trent Brady, the handsome but burnt-out ex-cop from across the. Ashley has been kidnapped by Gary, who slices body parts off his victims while they’re still alive, and it’s the usual race against time as Elise and Trent team up to find Ashley before Gary dismembers her. Their sizzling passion helps them tame personal demons and confront the killer, but the romance is soon buried under gore and clichés. (Oct.)

Imager’s Challenge: The Second Book of the Imager Portfolio
L.E. Modesitt, Jr. Tor, $27.99 (464p) ISBN 9780765321268
In this second installment of Modesitt’s serpentine political fantasy series (following 2008’s Imager), the imager Rhennthyl has been made a Maitre D’Aspect and Liaison to the Civic Patrol of L’Excelsis. As a covert security operative, Rhennthyl must ferret out corruption. He expects guidance from the Collegium, but the more involved he becomes in the patrol, the more the masters distance themselves. When Rhennthyl makes enemies of one of the high holder families, the Collegium’s refusal to become involved leaves him no options but to take matters into his own hands. Though the story drags occasionally as Rhennthyl ponders every aspect of his predicament and the Masters give constant professorial lectures, Modesitt’s steady prose guides Rhennthyl and the reader through the hierarchical foot-dragging and feudal power-mongering. (Oct.)